Music And Mental Health: How Music Festivals Better Your Mind And Body & How To Practice Festival Self-Care

Music can unite people across cultures and create a sense of shared humanity and joy. Every year, thousands of music festivals are held globally, both big and small. These festivals are often full-weekend events, showcasing several acts and bringing together people who enjoy similar types of music. Popular festival destinations include Panama City Beach, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Austin, among others. 

When people come together to listen to music, spend time with others, and enjoy their favorite bands, their mental health may benefit. However, ensuring you practice self-care and know when to rest during a festival can be as important for your overall well-being, too. Below, explore the connection between mental and music and learn ways to have a positive festival experience. 

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Are music and mental health connected? The mental wellness of music lovers 

The estimated age of music in humanity is at least 40,000 years, but many people believe it has been around longer—especially the art of singing. The oldest known proof of a written song is a 4,000-year-old Sumerian clay tablet with a song carved into it. Scientists have also found fossils that show that humans have had the physical ability to sing for at least 500,000 years. 

Because music has grown alongside humanity in the story of evolution, it continues to be a staple of every known human culture on Earth. Each country and culture has its own music and style, with thousands of unique genres made and listened to worldwide. Because of music’s influence as an expressive form of art, it is often connected to emotions, relationships, loss, joy, and exploration of meaning. Whether listening to a song, singing, dancing, watching a concert, playing an instrument, or partaking in another form of music, research suggests that music is directly connected to mental and physical health in humans (and even animals).  

Research and statistics on the potential benefits of music for music lovers  

The significance of music festivals and their mental health impacts 

Music festivals are events where people can come together to listen to their favorite bands in one place, often with more than one stage, multiple food stands, shops, and camping locations so people can spend multiple days there. They may also involve art installations or artistic stages with unique themes. People often dress up in themed or special outfits for these concerts. 

Popular festivals include Coachella, Tomorrowland, Riot Fest, Pitchfork Music Festival, EDC, Electric Forest, Life is Beautiful, Warped Tour, and Roots. Each festival features different genres, but many today focus on electronic music. Others may focus on brass bands or classical music, like jazz. 

Examples of some well-known bands and singers of many that have previously been featured at festivals or may headline future ones include Wet Leg, Lana Del Rey, Megan Thee Stallion, Shawn Mendes, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, and others. Often offering over eight stages, craft beer, visual art installations, food kiosks, and miles of grass to sit and socialize, these music fest events around the world can be fun for music lovers and festival enthusiasts in general. Below are a few potential mental health benefits of festivals like these. 

Social gathering 

Research suggests that humans can benefit directly from positive social connections and interactions, and music festivals offer many opportunities to socialize, make new friends, dance with people, and even date. Studies indicate that positive social connections like these may improve mental and physical health, potentially reducing one’s chances of conditions like cardiovascular disease and chronic high blood pressure. 

Connection can also provide a sense of belonging, love, joy, and compassion. At music festivals, people unite over the lyrics and melodies of songs they love, which may open the door to more in-depth conversations than they might have outside the festival. Dancing with other people may also be therapeutic for some. 

Live music sensory experiences at music festivals 

Music festivals are often full of sensory experiences, from loudspeakers to deep bass to laser light shows and extravagant art displays. People often go to these events to feel the music within their bodies as they dance. For some, these elements of music festivals can be soothing and may help reduce anxiety symptoms, depression, or low mood. Listening to loud music and feeling the beat in the body may act similarly to a weighted blanket for some, grounding them in the moment and helping them get out of their thoughts. 

Electronic music especially often mixes light shows, beats, melodies, and special effects to create a unique sensory experience for the audience that can be tactile, visual, and auditory. Studies suggest that pleasant loud music may reduce stress and anxiety for some people. This effect may not occur for everyone, but those who generally identify as “sensory seekers” may especially enjoy festivals for this reason.  

How to practice self-care at festivals in the midst of live music with local food, drink, and events

Although festivals can be a fun way to spend time with friends, enjoy your favorite music, and meet new people, they are often overwhelming, loud, fast-paced, and busy. You may meet people who are using substances and be offered substances, and you might become tired, especially if you don’t have a self-care plan in place. The following three steps may help you engage in self-care while at a music festival so you can aim to have the best experience possible.

Ensure your basic needs are met: Find adequate local food, drink, and sleeping arrangements 

Forgetting to eat, drink water, or sleep enough during a festival can be easy because of excitement around the concerts and other activities. People often forgo their basic necessities in an effort to not miss a good spot near the stage or due to standing in a long line for merch from their favorite bands. If you know you’ll want to be close to all the action, bring a water bottle or water backpack to keep hydrated. In addition, you might pack some nutrient-rich protein bars or other snacks that you can easily carry with you to eat while waiting. If the weather is hot, consider bringing a cooling towel pack to place around your neck. People often faint at festivals due to not eating, dehydration, and overheating, so it can be wise to take steps to prevent this.

If you’re staying the night at the festival grounds, know it will likely be noisy. Bring earplugs to drown out the noise if you stay in a tent. In addition, bring extra blankets in case you get cold at night, and consider using a sleeping pad or blow-up mattress so you can be comfortable while sleeping on the ground. If you’re traveling with a group, you might agree on quiet hours in the tent area for those who are trying to sleep. Sleep deprivation or back pain can lead to a disappointing concert experience. 

Have a safety plan in place 

Festival grounds often span miles in size, and thousands of people may be in attendance. Plan for safety ahead of time by having an idea of where you and your group will meet in case you get separated—especially if there’s no or limited cell phone service. Talk about what to do in case of a crowd crush and try to be mindful of everyone’s mental health needs and preferences for the experience. Some people may want to sit in the grass in the back of the crowd, whereas others may be more comfortable in the middle of a mosh pit at the front of the stage. Having conversations about expectations beforehand may reduce hurt feelings and ensure everyone is comfortable. 

Avoid excessive substance use at the music festival 

Substances are often used at festivals, including alcohol and other types. If you don’t plan to use substances, you might plan how you’ll set boundaries if someone offers you something. If you do plan to use substances, have a plan in place for how you will return to your tent, hotel room, or place you’re staying, and ensure you have a designated driver or way to call a rideshare if you’re intoxicated. 

Know the side effects of the substance you’re taking and have a way to confirm its contents. If it’s your first time, have a sober person with you who can keep an eye on you throughout the event. If you wander off or go dancing, let someone know where you’re going, turn on your location on your phone before you go, or take a friend with you. Don’t accept substances from strangers, and don’t get into someone’s car or tent if you don’t know who they are. 

How to use music to benefit your mental health 

There are many ways you can use music to benefit your mental health, including but not limited to the following: 

• Listen to songs that match your current mood
• Create playlists for different emotions and listen to them to get more comfortable with how certain emotions feel to you
• Learn to play an instrument
• Sing along with karaoke videos online 
• Go to karaoke with friends or family
• Go to a concert
• Attend music therapy
• Try a music therapy support group or other therapy group 
• Join a choir or another form of group music
• Go to a one-day pop-up choir/group singing event
• Go to a symphony
• Go downtown in a big city and listen to street musicians
• Go to a music festival
• Write a song and perform it for friends or at an open mic
• Produce a fun beat using music production software 
• Create a mash-up of some of your favorite songs
• Watch a musical
• Listen to a genre you’ve never heard before to expand your musical taste 

Is music therapy effective? 

Multiple studies have suggested that music therapy may be effective for reducing various mental health symptoms. Below are a few concerns that might be effectively addressed with music therapy for some people, often in conjunction with other forms of treatment: 

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) 
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Dementia 
• Stress
• Suicidal thoughts
• Relationship conflict 
• Sadness after a breakup or loss 
• Grief

Finding mental health support outside of the music festival scene in Austin and other places 

Finding support from a counselor can be difficult if you face barriers to care like location or cost. In these cases, online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp may be more convenient. This type of platform allows you to specify your needs and preferences in a brief questionnaire and get matched with a licensed therapist accordingly. You can then meet with them remotely from anywhere you have an internet connection, which can be more comfortable and convenient than in-person therapy for many. 

Studies indicate that online therapy can often be as effective as in-person options, if not more. For example, one study suggests that internet-based therapy reduced clients’ symptoms of anxiety and depression and improved their reported quality of life. In addition, the participants rated the treatment as more cost-effective than traditional face-to-face alternatives.